Is California Ready for a Bioterrorism Event?
California is better prepared today than ever before to respond to a bioterrorism event. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is the designated lead agency responsible for planning, organizing and responding to bioterrorism events and for other public health events as well. CDPH maintains fully trained scientific and medical staff and has extensive experience in responding to public health events, including communicable diseases and threats to drinking water safety, radiation safety, air quality and food safety. CDPH has made significant progress in preparing for a bioterrorism event: • California has improved its highly sophisticated system for identifying and responding to outbreaks • State and local public health emergency responders have been trained, and preparedness plans have been tested and improved • Laboratories across the state are networked to quickly test and respond to a bioterrorism event or infectious disease outbreak • Communication has been strengthened a